


If It Isn't A Problem

by mezzosaka



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-22
Updated: 2016-06-22
Packaged: 2018-07-16 16:14:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7274956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mezzosaka/pseuds/mezzosaka
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The connection between your nose and your mind is the reason scents spark nostalgia. Also, Keito needs his clothes fixed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	If It Isn't A Problem

At the end of the school day, Keito finds himself in front of the dojo. It’s not like he wanted to be there; it’s not even top priority on his to-do list. In fact, he should be in the student council room right now. There’s even more paperwork than usual to be done with Eichi being out of commission, and Keito knows he has to work double to stay on top of things. But this hole in his AKATSUKI uniform has been bothering him all day, and if he doesn’t fix it now, he might never get it fixed. Which would be a huge problem if their next live rolled around and he still had that pesky hole.

But he’s stuck hovering in the threshold anyway, stopped by the sound of the sewing machine. It hasn’t stopped for five minutes already, and Keito’s wondering how busy Kuro really is.

Maybe he should turn around.

Yes, that would be a good idea. Turn around, go to the student council room, and finish up the work that needs to be done. The hole can always be fixed at a later date. It’s not like Keito to forget. So it’ll be fine. Totally okay. 100%, absolutely, positively, definitely _fine_ if his idol costume isn’t fixed at this moment exactly.

“Are you just gonna stand there?” Kuro asks, looking up from his sewing.

Keito freezes. “Of course not!” But he doesn’t move.

“Then get what you need or leave, please. I’m trying to concentrate.”

Keito has to tear his eyes away from Kuro’s in order to regain his mobility. It’s weird, how sometimes just meeting eyes with Kuro will completely immobilize him. It makes him feel… almost helpless. Like Kuro is the real leader of AKATSUKI, the real one calling the shots. And like Keito is just along for the ride, willing to bend to Kuro’s every whim.

But it’s _not_ like that. Because that would be silly.

“There’s a hole in my costume, and I would like for you to fix it.” Keito holds out the neatly folded costume to Kuro. “It’s where the sleeve meets the shoulder.”

Kuro nods to a spot on the floor. “Leave it there. I’m busy, so I’ll have to take it home to fix it. That okay?”

“Fine,” Keito says.

 

-

 

Once again, Keito finds himself in front of the dojo after school. But this time he doesn’t let anything hinder him; he steps right in. It’s rather quiet this time; the sewing machine isn’t running. So honestly, Keito feels rather rude just barging in.

Kuro is sitting alone again. He isn’t paying attention to the fabric in the sewing machine, and he’s busy tugging at the threads of another garment. Keito’s costume is in almost the exact same spot he left it in, and Keito begins to wonder if Kuro even fixed it at all.

Kuro glances up at Keito, but his fingers keep meticulously tugging and rearranging and smoothing. “Good, you’re here. Try it on to make sure I didn’t shorten the sleeve.”

Keito obliges, pulling on the costume. Kuro watches, looking like he’s _studying_ Keito, and Keito’s about to say something about it when Kuro suddenly stands up. He grabs scrap fabric from the floor and begins to rearrange Keito’s top until it lays closed, just like how it would on stage. He then wraps the fabric around Keito’s waist. As Kuro’s tying it up, he's so close that Keito can feel his breath on his face.

But he pulls away before Keito can say anything.

“Lift your arm.”

And Keito does. And he doesn’t know if it’s because Kuro was standing so close just now, but Keito can almost swear that his costume smells like him. Not like it’s a bad thing, because Kuro smells nice. Keito always expects him to smell like cigarettes and motor oil, but Kuro always smells like some flowery sort of thing that Keito can only describe as “homey.” He hates to admit it, but it’s a very nice scent, and Keito… wouldn’t mind all that much if his costume smells like Kuro.

“Thank you,” Keito says as he leaves, and as soon as he exits the dojo, he holds the fabric to his nose. Yes, the fabric definitely smells like Kuro.

Keito likes it.

 

-

 

For the third time this week, Keito finds himself in the dojo, once again asking for Kuro’s help. It’s not a costume this time. It’s a shirt he found in his closet. Nothing special, just a plain white button-up. But on of the buttons is missing, and it’s a big enough problem that only Kuro can fix it.

“Can’t you fix your own button? Not hard…” Kuro says, more to himself than to Keito, as he takes the shirt. Their hands almost touch. Not like Keito noticed.

“If it’s not hard, then it shouldn’t be a problem for you to fix it, correct?” Keito asks. When Kuro doesn’t answer, Keito keeps talking. “You can take your time with it, anyway. I have other shirts I can wear in the meantime, so if you have more pressing projects, please do work on them first.” He starts walking towards the door before Kuro can respond, and calls out a “thank you” as he leaves.

He gets the shirt back after practice in a few days’ time. Keito only half pays attention to Kuro’s explanation of how he ended up replacing all of the buttons since the only ones he had on hand wouldn’t match the rest of the shirt. And that’s why it took so long, and he’s sorry.

But it doesn’t matter. It just means Kuro had it at his house longer, which isn’t a problem. It’s not like Kuro’s scent bothered Keito.

 

-

 

“Seriously?” Kuro asked flatly. “It seems like every item in your closet has something wrong with it.”

Keito almost sheepishly holds out the pair of pants. “This time, it’s extremely important. These pants are just slightly too long on me, so I need you to take them up.”

(It doesn’t matter that there was another pair Keito could have bought that was actually in his size. Kuro doesn’t need to know that, and besides, these pants were the only one Keito actually _liked._ )

“How long?” Kuro asks, already starting to roll the bottom hem.

“They only need to go up about two inches. Why are you sewing already?! It can wait, you know!”

“I thought you said it was extremely important this time.” Kuro raises an eyebrow, actually pausing his sewing this time.

“But if you have other things you need to do, feel free to take those home too! That’s all I’m saying!” Keito feels his face grow hot, and he pushes up his glasses. “I have something else to do. So I’m leaving but please do take your time."

And he’s gone before Kuro can give him the pants back.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading // twitter: @izumakos


End file.
